UN RENEWS APPEAL TO FUND AIRDROP OF SUPPLIES (VOA, FEB 17)

DATE=2/17/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-226860 TITLE=AFGHAN QUAKE (L) BYLINE=SARAH HORNER DATELINE=ISLAMABAD CONTENT= VOICED AT:

INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS HAS AGAIN APPEALED FOR TWO-AND-ONE-HALF-MILLION DOLLARS TO FUND AN AIRDROP OF RELIEF SUPPLIES TO AN AREA OF NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN DEVASTATED BY AN EARTHQUAKE TWO-WEEKS AGO. SARAH HORNER HAS THE DETAILS IN ISLAMABAD.

TEXT: U-N OFFICIALS RENEWED THEIR APPEAL AS THE SITUATION WORSENED IN THE ROSTAQ DISTRICT OF TAKHAR PROVINCE.

RESCUE EFFORTS TO THE REMOTE HIMLAYAN DISTRICT HAVE BEEN HAMPERED BY BAD WEATHER AND INACCESSIBILITY. MOST ATTEMPTS TO TAKE PLANES AND VEHICLES TO THE EARTHQUAKE ZONE HAVE FAILED AND AID AGENCIES BELIEVE AN AIRDROP IS THE ONLY WAY TO DELIVER EMERGENCY SUPPLIES.

THE U-N SPOKESPERSON IN THE PAKISTANI CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD -- SARAH RUSSELL -- TOLD V-O-A WHAT THE MONEY WILL BE USED FOR.

// RUSSELL ACT //

WE HAVE HAD CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE GOVERNMENTS OF SWEDEN, LUXEMBOURG, SWITZERLAND, AND THE UNITED STATES. WE HAVE NOW NOT QUITE GOT A MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THE TWO-POINT-FIVE THAT WE NEED. WE URGENTLY NEED MONEY IF WE ARE GOING TO CARRY OUT THE AIRLIFT/AIRDROP OPERATION AS WE PLAN IT. IT IS A COMPLEX OPERATION WHICH IS LIKELY TO LAST SEVERAL WEEKS BECAUSE ONCE WE HAVE GOT THE ESSENTIAL RELIEF ITEMS IN WE ARE GOING TO KEEP ON HAVING TO GET IN MATERIALS TO KEEP PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE WINTER.

// END ACT //

MS RUSSELL SAID THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS ARE ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE ARRIVAL OF A C-130 TRANSPORT PLANE FROM A U-S COMMERCIAL COMPANY THAT WILL CARRY OUT THE AIRDROP.

// RUSSELL ACT //

WE ARE HOPING A CARGO PLANE WILL ARRIVE IN PAKISTAN ON WEDNESDAY AND THEN WE CAN BEGIN THE AIRDROP/AIRLIFT OPERATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE WEATHER CONTINUES TO CONSPIRE AGAINST US. IT IS SNOWING AGAIN TODAY IN ROSTAQ. SO IT IS HARD TO PREDICT EXACTLY WHEN THIS WILL BEGIN.

// END ACT //

THE BITTER WEATHER IS BRINGING ADDED MISERY TO THE EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS IN ROSTAQ WHO -- HAVING LOST THEIR HOMES -- ARE MAKING DO WITH PLASTIC SHEETING AND TENTS.

FOR THOSE IN OUTLYING VILLAGES THE CONDITIONS ARE MUCH WORSE. AID WORKERS SAY THOUSANDS OF AFGHANS ARE TRAPPED IN AREAS THEY CAN NOT REACH.

MS RUSSELL SAID THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 30-THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP IMMEDIATELY. REPORTS FROM THE FIELD SAY ADULTS AND CHILDREN HAVE ALREADY STARTED DYING FROM COLD AND DISEASE.

// RUSSELL ACT //

THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE LONGER WE CAN NOT GET ASSISTANCE IN, THE MORE PEOPLE WILL DIE. WITH EVERY DAY PASSING, THE SITUATION GETS WORSE AND WORSE UP THERE.

// END ACT //

AID WORKERS SAY ABOUT 45-HUNDRED PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY THE EARTHQUAKE THAT HIT NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN NEARLY TWO-WEEKS AGO. IT WAS FOLLOWED BY A NUMBER OF STRONG AFTERSHOCKS. (SIGNED)